In some situations it becomes complicated to upgrade the software loads (e.g. operating software) of devices deployed in the field. In some cases, one or more interim loads must first be installed be the devices, before a final load will be accepted and installed. In prior techniques this has required manual action to first get the interim load(s) installed, before upgrading to the final desired load. This is particularly a problem when customers have units in inventory which are running especially old loads.
One prior art solution to this problem is to manually upgrade the affected devices to an interim load so that they can then accept the desired load, which is specified in a configuration file which the devices receive via a network. This requires either coordination between installers and personnel responsible for deploying the new loads, or it requires scripts to run every night looking for devices that need to receive an interim load. In the latter case, the installer may leave the device facility without being able to verify full operation of the device.
A prior art process for provisioning a modem or other devices with a software load is illustrated in FIG. 2. The process begins 202 and a modem receives a configuration file 204. This configuration file may come from, for example, a provisioning server 104 communicating over an HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) network 150 facilitated by a CMTS (Cable Modem Termination System) 106. If there is software load information in the configuration file 206, a check is done to determine if the current load of the device matches the load information in the configuration file 208. If it does, then the process concludes. If not, an upgrade to a new load is performed 210. The device resets 212 to activate the new software load, and the process concludes 214.